Metropolitan Museum of Art announces Alexander McQueen exhibition

Alexander McQueen at his spring/summer 2010 show in Paris, October 2009. Photo: REX

The exhibition will run from May 4 to July 31 and takes a look back over two decades of McQueen's work, beginning with his graduate collection from Central St Martins College of Art, right through to his
final collection
which was shown in the weeks after his death. The museum has also borrowed a significant number of outfits from Isabella Blow's personal collection, which were all bought by Daphne Guinness earlier this year, as well as highlights from McQueen's tenure at Givenchy.

"After McQueen's death, we wanted to stage an exhibition to celebrate his legacy in fashion history and his contributions to fashion." Andrew Bolton, who is spearheading the show along with curator Harold Koda told
WWD
. "McQueen had such a singular voice and he was a remarkable technician. He really was one of the most provocative voices of the past 30 years in fashion. His catwalk presentations were outstanding and straddle art and fashion. We want to get across two elements - the spectacle of the runway presentations and the beauty of his craftsmanship."

The show will be arranged by themes such as 'The Savage Mind', 'Romantic Gothic' and 'Romantic Nationalism', rather than chronologically, and will benefit from the appointment of Sam Gainsbury and Joseph Bennett, who helped produce so many of McQueen's theatrical runway shows, as creative consultants.

The exhibition will be launched by the annual Costume Institute Benefit Gala - otherwise known as the Met Ball - the fashion industry's version of the Oscars, which draws many of the biggest names in the business.

Next year's event, taking place on May 2, will be chaired by François-Henri Pinault - the chief executive officer of PPR who own the Alexander McQueen label - and his wife, Salma Hayek, along with Colin Firth, Stella McCartney and Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour who are acting as co-chairs.